Fuse socket and holder



y 2, 1933- c. G. PIERCE 1,906,280

FUSE SOCKET AND HOLDER Original Filed April 16 1929 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented May 2, 1933 UNITED STATES CLARENCE G. PIERCE, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FUSE SOCKET AND HOLDER Application filed April 16, 1929, Serial No. 355,645. Renewed September 8, 1932.

The invention relates particularly to fuses such as are placed in electrical circuits to prevent excessive charges of electricity from flowing thru the circuit.

It is usual in employing fuses to arrange a pair of spring contacts which the fuse member is adapted to bridge, the spring contacts retaining the fuse and also sufliciently engaging the fuse to make an electrical connection. In devices of this type, however, the spring contacts, which are usually made of thin band metal, are subject to corrosion and when this occurs not only a poor electrical contact results but this poor connection causes heating of the metal clip so that it loses its temper and no longer retains the fuse properly or furnishes a suitable electrical contact. Fuses of this general type are usually of quite small dimensions and it is also difficult for the electrician to reach in with his fingers and remove the fuse from the contacts without touching the contact members and thus receiving a shock.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide an improved device for retaining the fuse in engagement with the contacts.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for holding the fuse so that it may be readily inserted or withdrawn from the electrical contact.

Still another object of the invention is to arrange a fuse board in such a manner that a bank of fuses may beinspected by a single operation of the electrician.

Another object of my invention is to arrange a fuse holder for a single fuse which may be quickly applied to or detached from the fuse andwhich holder will be simple and economical in its construction."

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, the following description is given and should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherei Fig. l is a side elevation ofa fuse board to which my improvement has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the fuse board of Fig. 1 but showing the fuses withdrawn fr m the electr cal circuit.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fuse board of Figs. 1 and 2 and showing the improved contacts which may be used in combination with my improved device.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an individual. fuse holder which may be used when de sired.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the holder and fuse shown in Fig. l.

By havin reference to Fig. 1, a board, which may ie of wood or any suitable insulating material, is shown at 1. This board is usually suspended upon the wall of a structure orupon standards or in a cabinet, depending upon its size and the number of fusesit is required to accommodate. In ordinary building constructions such boards are placed in suitablecabinets and are readily available to the electrician.

This board is of usual construction and carries a pair of electrical contacts shown at 2 and 3. These contacts are wired into the electrical circuit which is to be protected by the fuse, shown at 4. The contacts 2 and 3 are retained in place upon the board by means of screws or other fastening means shown at Suitable binding posts 7 are shown to which the wires of the electrical circuit are connected. As previously stated, the contacts such as I have shown at 2 and 3 are usually of spring metal so that they resiliently hold the fuse in place, but by having reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that I have merely provided metal contacts having a semi-circular opening shown at 8, which is adapted for engagement with the fuse. The fuse is not retained in any manner by the contact itself. These contacts are seen in elevation in Fig. 2.

In order that the fuse 4 may be kept in engagement with the contacts 2 and 3, I provide a fuse holder which comprises a board 10 of any suitable insulating material and this may be very thin but must be sufficiently rigid to support the fuse. This board is mounted on hinges, such as 11, which are pivoted at 1.2, to brackets 13, fastened to the fuse board 1 by means of screws or other elements 14. In this manner the extension hinge 11 serves to support the board 10 in a position horizontal to b t paced. from the contacts 2 an o. It seems apparent that when a pressure is exerted upon the upper part of the board 10 that it will pivotaway from the fuse board 1 and take the posit-ion shown in Fig. 2.

The fuse l is of standard construction and comprises an insulation portion 9 and metallic end caps 9. A fusible element passes thru the center of the portion 9 and is adapted to break the circuit in emergency and cases of overload.

In order that the holder board 10 will remain in upright position I have provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of coiled springs 16. These are anchored to the fuse board 1. as shown at 17, and also to the holder hoard 10. as shown at 18. Inasmuch as the anchors for the spring 16 are above the pivot point 12 the spring will tend to exert an inward pull upon the board and will. draw it towards the contacts 2 and Upon the holder board I have mounted a series of spring clips 20 which are adapted to engage the fuse to be used. These clips are fastened to the board by means of screws or other means 21. The clips 20 are shown as being bent inwardly at 22 behind the fuse so as to limit its inward movement, and the curved lips 23 retain the fuse in the clip. However, if desired, any other means such as a block and spring band may be used to re tain the fuse in position relative to the board 10.

It will be seen from the foregoing descrip tion that I have provided a fuse holder to which the fuses may be readil attached or detached and inspected to ascertain the condition of the electrical contact being ol tained. hen it is desired to insert the fuses the holder board 10 is pulled down to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the fuses at placed in the clips 20. It then only necessary to release the hold upon the board and the springs 16 will instantly draw it upwardly about the pivots 12 so that the fuses are drawn against the seats 8 of the contacts 2 and 3. hus it will be seen that the springs 16 serve to retain the fuse in engagen'lent with the electrical contacts but it will be remembered that the spring 16 is not in the electrical circuit and is not subject to heat, due to a poor electrical contact.

The advantages of this arrangement constitute the elimination of the spring contacts in the electrical circuit which are objectionable due to corrosion and the factthat they become unserviceable after a short period. Another advantage obtained is the fact that when the fuses are to be inspected the electrician need only place his finger upon the top of the board 10 and pull it outwardly, thereby removing the fuses to the position shown in Fig. 2 where they are free from the electrical circuit and may be replaced or re moved for cleaning and inspection without danger of shock In many electrical circuits there is used but a single fuse and in order to adapt my idea. to such circuits I have shown in Fig. i a fuse holder which is adapted for use in connection with the ordinary spring contact such as usually employed in electrical circuits. The fuse holder of Fig. 4 comprises a block shown at 30, which is of any suitable insulating material and has formed thereon or attached thereto a handle 31. The block 30 has a semicircular hase shown at to receive a portion of the fuse 34. The face 33 extends longitudinally thrnout the length of the block. Grooves shown at 35 on each side of the block 30 are adapted to receive the curved ends 36 of a spring band 37. This band is adapted to have its ends engaged in the slots 35 and so constructed that it will pass around the fuse ll; and retain it firmly in position against the face 33. It is to he understood that the band 37 remains in position upon the block due to its resilient qualities. The block 30 may be of any desired width but in event it is wider than the fuse 3% it may be necessary to provide slots 38 to acconnnodate the band 37 as it. passes around the fuse 5%. The band 37. if desired, may be fastened at one end to the block 30 and have a hinge adjacent this fastoning so that the fuse may more readily be retained. Such structure is shown in my copending application Serial No. 445,872, filed April 21, 1930.

In order that the spring band 37 may be readily removed from the fuse I have shown a slot 40 into which any instrument maybe inserted in order to pry the curved ends 36 from within the grooves 35. As seen in Fig. 4, the b ock 30 is only of sutli ient length to engage the fuse 34 between its ends but may be shorter than this length when used with larger fuses which may have considerable length.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a simple fuse holder which may be quickly snapped about a fuse so that it may be held in safety by the electrician. Once the fuse is attached to the holder, as shown in Fig. 4, by grasping the handle 31 the electrician may place the fuse in the electrical circuit without danger of receiving a shock. Also when the fuse is to be removed the operator may grasp the handle 31 and withdraw it from the spring contacts very readily.

Having described my invention, what- I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1.. A device for holding fuses including in combination a holder board, means on said board to retain a plurality of fuses, hinges upon which said board is mounted. and spring means to retain said board in an upright position.

2. A fuse holder in combination with a fuse hoard inchiding a set of electrical contacts,

spring means independent of said contacts to retain said fuse in engagement with said contacts, said spring means including a hingedly mounted insulation board and clips for atta chment of said fuses mounted on said board.

3. An apparatus for conveniently mounted electrical fuses including in combination a fuse board, non-resilient contacts on said board, a fuse holder hinged to said board, a fuse clip on said holder adapted to retain. a fuse by engagement with the non-conductive portion thereof, and a spring connecting said board and said holder whereby the fuse is retained in engagement with said contacts.

4.. An apparatus for conveniently mounting electrical fuses including a fuse board having contacts thereon, a fuse holder adapted to carry fuses, said holder being hinged with respect to said board, and spring means to normally retain said holder and the fuses in engagement with said contacts.

5. An apparatus for conveniently mounting electrical fuses including a fuse board having contacts thereon, a fuse holder adapted to carry fuses, said holder being hinged with respect to said board, and spring means to normally retain said holder and the fuses in engagement with said contacts whereby the. fuses ma} be pivoted away from said contacts for inspection and replacement.

6. A device for holding an electric fuse in combination with a holder board, means on said board to retain a fuse, a hinge on which said board is mounted, and spring means to normally retain said board in an upright position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 13 day of April, A. D. 1929.

CLARENCE G. PIERCE. 

